Salisbury Cathedral | Historic Wiltshire Guide Salisbury Cathedral Early History The history of Salisbury Cathedral goes back well before the first foundation stone was laid in 1220. To understand the history of the cathedral you have to travel north from the city centre a distance of several miles, to Old Sarum . Here, shortly after the Conquest, the Norman conquerors of England built a castle within the protective earthen banks of an Iron Age enclosure. In 1075, Bishop Osmund built a cathedral on low ground beneath the castle motte. This would have seemed a good spot to build, for the castle would offer the monks of Old Sarum protection in those turbulent times. However, the monks and the castle garrison were not happy stable mates; over the following century and a half, the monks of Old Sarum and the garrison of the castle clashed repeatedly. Finally, in 1220 the Bishop of Salisbury, Richard Poore, determined that he would build a new cathedral, far from the influence of the castle at Old Sarum. A fanciful legend tells that the Bishop stood on the castle mound and shot an arrow high into the sky, vowing to build his church where the arrow landed.

The west front He must have been a prodigiously mighty man, for the site of the new cathedral lies several miles south of Old Sarum, in water meadows beside the slowly moving River Avon. Poore chose as his architect a canon of the cathedral named Elias de Derham, who had helped build the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral . We know little else about Elias de Derham, save that he may have used the services of a master mason named Nicholas of Ely to carry out his brilliant design. And brilliant it was; for a start, the water meadows where Bishop Poore decided to build his new cathedral had very little in the way of firm ground to support the weight of the structure. It is estimated that the massive tower rests on only 4 feet of gravel foundation. The first foundation stone was laid by Bishop Poore in 1220. The cloisters were begun in 1240, and the lovely Chapter House in 1263. In 1265 a free standing bell tower was added. This bell tower is long gone, the victim of remodeling carried out in the late 18th century by architect James Wyatt .

The cathedral spire from the cloisters Bishop Poore needed clerics to carry out the work of the cathedral, and he brought in priests, clerks, canons, and senior clergy. These he gave parcels of land ranging about the Cathedral and along the river bank. Lower clergy were allotted an acre and half upon which to build their dwellings, and the senior clergy were given twice that measure. The land upon which the clergy dwellings were built is the Cathedral Close. In 1331 the Close was walled with stone taken from the original Norman cathedral at Old Sarum. Many of the old medieval buildings still remain within the Close, though some have been torn down and replaced with beautiful Georgian town houses, such as Mompesson House and Wren Hall. Architecture Salisbury Cathedral was built between 1220 and 1258, in a style we now call Early English Gothic (or just 'Early English' for short). This style emphasized height and light, and compared to the bulkier, heavier buildings of the 11th and 12th century, were quite revolutionary. Salisbury Cathedral is unique in England. Most grand churches evolved slowly over centuries, resulting in a finished structure that spans a multitude of architectural styles.

Some cathedrals work as a finished whole, but some have the feel of a portrait painted by a variety of artists in different media and in different styles. Uniquely, Salisbury was built nearly to completion within a single generation. As a result, the final structure presents a unity of vision that is very satisfying and evocative of a single era of English architecture, and is probably the finest example of Early English in the country. The cathedral cloisters The spire, the tallest in Britain at 404 feet, was one of the last parts of the cathedral to be completed, in about 1330. It has undergone repair several times during the following centuries, the most famous occasion being when Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to undertake an architectural survey. Wren determined that the spire was leaning off plumb by 30 inches, and had iron rods inserted to strengthen the structure. Centuries later Wren's work was checked, and modern measurements revealed that the tower had not moved so much as an inch. Sir Christopher, it seems, knew his business well. Materials Salisbury Cathedral makes exceptional use of Purbeck marble.

Now Purbeck marble is not marble, nor in this case, does it come from the Isle of Purbeck. It is crystalline limestone, and it was quarried in Corfe Castle, Dorset. No matter, the dark, slender columns create here a quite fabulous sense of space and height. The Purbeck marble is used primarily in the column shafts of the nave and aisles, and in the vault ribs. Tombs Salisbury is blessed with an intriguing variety of medieval tombs. Though not so overwhelmed with monuments as are some churches, there are some real gems. Most of the older tombs are lined up between the pillars on dividing the nave from the aisles. Here is the tomb of William Longespee (sometimes called Longpre), the first person known to be buried in the Cathedral. Longespee was the half brother of King John, and the illegitimate son of Henry II. It was Longespee who brought the Magna Carta to Salisbury. On a curious note, when Longespee's tomb was opened centuries after his death, a dead rat was found in his skull, and the rat's corpse contained traces of arsenic.

Make of that what you will, but it does seem to suggest that Sir William may have met a rather unusual end. 12th century effigy of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury from 1107-39 Beside Longespee's tomb is a poignant, small effigy, believed to be that of a 13th century boy bishop. In the south aisle is a beautifully carved memorial slab believed to be that of Roger, Bishop from 1107-1139. Continuing up the south aisle you come to a wonderfully painted wall memorial to Elinor Sadler, a rich Salisbury resident who died in 1622. The inscription describes her as "truly virtuous and religious'", but after studying the rather grim countenance, one can't help but feel that she wasn't the sort of person you'd like to spend time with. Carrying on up the south aisle, cross the south transept and you come to one of the glories of Salisbury Cathedral; the Mompesson tomb. Here lie the beautifully painted effigies of Sir Richard Mompesson and his wife.

Mompesson was the owner of Mompesson House , a lovely Georgian townhouse in the Close that was founded in the 14th century. The house is now owned by the National Trust. As truly marvelous as the Mompesson tomb is, it pales in sheer opulence beside the tomb of Sir Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, which stands at the very east end of the south aisle. The tomb stretches to a great height, and seems all marble and gilt. Sir Edward married Katherine, sister of Lady Jane Grey, and their effigies lie side by side beneath a fantastically carved canopy. Because Katherine had royal connections, her effigy is shown slightly elevated, as if she has just decided to sit up. This slight elevation is supposed to indicate her higher social standing than her husband, who was, after all, only an Earl. Between the Seymour tomb and the Trinity Chapel lies the very plain memorial to Richard Poore, the bishop who moved the cathedral from Old Sarum. One more tomb deserves note; near the easternmost end of the north aisle is the chantry chapel of Edmund Audley, Bishop from 1502-1524.

The chapel is very small, and can admit no more than a few visitors at a time in any comfort, but those who climb the few steps to enter in, are rewarded with a wonderful sight. The chapel ceiling is a riotous delight of Gothic painted vaulting. The colours are resplendent, and the overall effect is quite wonderful. The oldest working clock in Europe, dating to 1326 The greatest treasure in Salisbury is housed in the lofty Chapter House. Here, protected from the light by a shaded awning, is one of the few original copies of the Magna Carta in existence. This simple roll of parchment is deceptively small, but the aged lines written there were the cornerstone of a legal system that has spanned the centuries. The Magna Carta, and indeed the Chapter House itself, can become very crowded. There are numerous exhibit stands showing off the Cathedral's prized possessions, from silver plate to royal charters, to a watch once owned by Isaac Walton. These artifacts are fascinating, but the very bulk of the exhibition cabinets tend to fill up the Chapter House and with any number of other visitors bent on viewing the displays the chamber can seem quite cramped.

Around the walls of the Chapter House is a lovely medieval frieze. It is worthwhile bringing a binoculars,to study the beautifully carved corbel heads as well. The Cloister The Cloisters at Salisbury surround the largest garth, or green space, in Britain, measuring 80 acres in size. The cloister architecture is deceptively clean, almost spare, with beautifully restrained Gothic vaulting. Visitors are allowed to walk into the garth, and enjoy the views up to the glorious spire above. Wren's Hall, "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor" Exhibition at Library of Congress to Open Nov. 6 | Library of Congress Search Search toggle Library of Congress > News from the Library of Congress > 2014 > "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor" Exhibition at Library ... March 7, 2014 (REVISED April 2, 2014) "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor" Exhibition at Library of Congress to Open Nov.

6 1215 Magna Carta from England’s Lincoln Cathedral to be on Display Contact: Downloadable images are available in an online press kit; register at Contact: Donna Urschel (202) 707-1639 Magna Carta, the great charter of rights and liberties, stands at the heart of English and American law and has influenced the legal systems of many other democratic nations. One of the earliest statements of limited government and a point of departure for centuries of debate on individual rights, Magna Carta has become the world’s most enduring symbol of the rule of law. The Library of Congress will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the first issue of Magna Carta with a 10-week exhibition “Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor,” opening Thursday, Nov. 6, and running through Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. The exhibition—to be located in the South Gallery, second level of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.—will be free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Lincoln King John 1215 Magna Carta, on loan from the Lincoln Cathedral in England, will be the centerpiece of the exhibition. In addition, there will be rare materials from the Law Library of Congress and from various other divisions of the Library, which will tell the story of 800 years of Magna Carta’s influence on the history of political liberty. The materials will both illuminate the context of Magna Carta in medieval and early modern England and show how the charter came to occupy such an important place in British and American law. “Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor” also will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lincoln Magna Carta’s first visit to the Library of Congress. After a six-month exhibit in the British Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the document traveled to Washington, D.C. On Nov. 28, 1939, the British Ambassador to the United States, in an official ceremony, handed Magna Carta over to Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish for safekeeping during World War II. The Library placed the document on exhibition, until the U.S.

entry into the war, when the Library sent Magna Carta to Fort Knox, Ky. The document returned to England in 1946. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said, “We are honored to place on exhibition Magna Carta, one of the lasting treasures of human history. The principles that underlay Magna Carta are the foundation of our liberties, inspiring this country’s Founding Fathers in shaping the U.S. Constitution and the laws of this land. We especially welcome the return of the Lincoln King John 1215 Magna Carta, because the Library of Congress played an important role in its safekeeping during World War II.” Law Librarian of Congress David Mao said, “Through this exhibition we will celebrate the core tradition of the rule of law. While aiming to detail the enduring impact of Magna Carta over 800 years, our exhibit will illuminate its influence on our legal traditions and political thought while examining the unfolding story of the rule of law throughout the world.

We look forward to taking a leading role in the American commemoration of the 800th anniversary of this legal treasure.” The Lincoln King John Magna Carta will travel first to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and then to the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass. Its final stop in America will be the Library of Congress. After its appearance here, Magna Carta will return to England and be placed briefly on display at the British Library, along with the other three surviving original 1215 issues of the document. Two are held by the British Library and one by Salisbury Cathedral. Of the four, the Lincoln King John Magna Carta is considered to be in the best condition. Magna Carta or “Great Charter” was sealed in 1215, in a grassy meadow at Runnymede, by the Thames, when barons coerced King John into granting a number of rights and liberties. The document is the world’s most enduring symbol of the rule of law, establishing the principle that no one is above the law, not even the king.

The Library of Congress also will celebrate the 800th anniversary by curating and providing materials for a facsimile traveling exhibition on Magna Carta for the American Bar Association (ABA). The exhibition will open at a 2014 ABA Annual Meeting in Boston and travel across the United States. In June 2015, the ABA Magna Carta Facsimile Traveling Exhibit will journey to England. For more information on ABA’s Magna Carta commemoration, visit External . The Lincoln Cathedral, officially the Cathedral Church of St. Mary of Lincoln, is located in Lincoln, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. The cathedral and its bishops have had a leading role in the history of England. In 1215 the Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Wells, was present at Runnymede along with Lincolnshire’s Cardinal Archbishop Stephen Langton. When King John agreed to the barons’ demands, copies of Magna Carta, written in Latin, were made and distributed to sheriffs, cathedrals, and important religious houses throughout England. Lincoln Cathedral’s Magna Carta is one of only four from the original distribution still in existence.

The cathedral itself, highly regarded by architectural scholars, is one of Europe’s finest Gothic buildings. Construction started in 1072 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. The Law Library of Congress was established in 1832 with the mission to make its resources available to members of Congress, the Supreme Court, other branches of the U.S. government and the global legal community and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of law for future generations. With more than 5 million items in various formats, the Law Library of Congress contains the world’s largest collection of law books and other resources from all countries and provides online databases and guides to legal information worldwide through its website at . The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, holds more than 158 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its award-winning website at .

### Magna Carta in 500 Words - Medieval manuscripts blog Medieval manuscripts blog 21 February 2012 Magna Carta in 500 Words Magna Carta is one of the most celebrated documents in history, and is among the British Library's greatest treasures. See our dedicated Magna Carta webpages to view the original manuscript, watch our virtual curator answer frequently asked questions, and read a translation into English. Magna Carta in a 14th century English legal compilation, currently on show in our Royal exhibition : London, British Library, MS Cotton Claudius D. II, f. 139r. In the meantime, how many of these Magna Carta facts did you already know? 1. Magna Carta (‘The Great Charter’) was so-named in the thirteenth century, to distinguish it from the shorter ‘Charter of the Forests’. 2. King John did not sign Magna Carta. Instead, the royal chancery affixed the king’s seal to each copy of the document, made from beeswax and resin and attached with plaited cords. 3.

Four contemporary copies (or exemplifications) of Magna Carta survive: two at the British Library, one at Lincoln Cathedral and the other at Salisbury Cathedral. 4. The Salisbury copy is presumably that sent in 1215 to either Bishop Herbert Poore (1194–1217) or the sheriff of Wiltshire; that now at Lincoln is the copy sent to Bishop Hugh (1209–35) or the sheriff of Lincolnshire. Bishop Hugh of Lincoln is named in Magna Carta as one of the king’s advisers. 5. Both British Library copies of the 1215 Magna Carta were owned by the Parliamentarian and antiquary Sir Robert Cotton (d. 1631): one was found by Humphrey Wyems of the Inner Temple in a London tailor’s shop; the other was sent to Cotton in 1630 by Sir Edward Dering (d. 1644), Lieutenant of Dover Castle. Sir Robert Cotton (d. 1631), owner of two of the four surviving 1215 copies of Magna Carta. 6.

The original version of Magna Carta was annulled by Pope Innocent III on 24 August 1215, on the grounds that it was ‘as unlawful and unjust as it is base and shameful’. It had been legally valid for just ten weeks. 7. Magna Carta was re-issued with adaptations by King John’s successors. The 1225 version was copied onto the first English statute roll in 1297. 8. Three clauses of the 1215 Magna Carta remain valid: (1) the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired; (2) the city of London shall enjoy all its ancient liberties and free customs ... all other cities, boroughs, towns and ports shall enjoy all their liberties and free customs; (3) to no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice. 9. Among King John’s advisers named in Magna Carta are the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and Alan of Galloway, Constable of Scotland.

The king was opposed by twenty-five barons, listed in a separate document drawn up in 1215 (the Articles of the Barons), also preserved at the British Library. 10. Magna Carta has echoes in the American Declaration of Independence (1776) and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (1948). It formed the basis for parts of the laws of Pennsylvania, drawn up by William Penn (d. 1718). Posted by Ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern Manuscripts at 3:11 PM Salisbury | Magna Carta Trust 800th Anniversary | Celebrating 800 years of democracy Home » Events » Salisbury Salisbury Cathedral is extremely proud to be home to the finest of the four surviving original 1215 Magna Carta.Â It plans to take a leading role in the 2015 celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of the historic and iconic document, inscribed in the UNESCO âMemory of the Worldâ register and which has a legacy of enduring global influence. Our Magna Carta is on permanent display to visitors in our newly-conserved Chapter House.

The Salisbury Connection At Runnymede King John was urged to accept the demands of the barons and agree Magna Carta by his half-brother, William LongspeÃ©, whose Effigy is in Salisbury Cathedral. Also present at Runnymede was Elias of Dereham, who at the time was steward to one of the key players in the crisis, the Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton. Elias himself was a skilled negotiator and was at the very centre of the discussions between the King and the barons. Once Magna Carta was agreed and sealed he was entrusted with delivering ten of the thirteen copies made, one of which was given to the original cathedral at Old Sarum. Elias later became a Canon of Old Sarum before masterminding the building of the present Salisbury Cathedral. Salisburyâs copy of Magna Carta 2015 is in excellent condition.Â Written in a neat business hand, it is closer in some ways to a book hand than to the business hand of the royal chancery.Â It has various medieval and post-medieval endorsements including anno domini 1215 written in a hand very similar to that of the antiquary and herald Robert Glover.

It is assumed to be the exemplar of the charter delivered to Wiltshire and thence stored in the cathedral archives. Exhibitions Spirit of Justice, Power of Words (From 1st March) A new, interactive exhibition presents the worldâs best preserved original 1215 Magna Carta in its historic context, explaining its legacy and relevance today. Using displays, artefacts, interactive stations and video in the Cloisters and Chapter House, it is designed to appeal to visitors of all ages. Voluntary donation for exhibition and Cathedral. Timed entry during peak periods – book in advance online. Squidsoup (13 June – 15 September): Squidsoup are an international group of artists whose work combines sounds, light, physical space and virtual worlds produce immersive and emotive headspaces where participants take an active role in the experience. Their work will feature: âEnlightenmentâ, at the North porch: A light and sound installation inspired by the impact of Magna Carta. âThe Power of Wordsâ, Morning Chapel: An interactive piece where you can transform the Chapel, using words from the text of Magna Carta, projected on its walls.

Concerts Magna Carta Gala Concert (Saturday 13th June, 19:00) The premiÃ¨re of a major new choral work by Tarik OâRegan set to text by Alice Goodman plus music by Elgar, Mozart and Pergolesi. Tickets: Â£5 – Â£50 available from March from 01722 320333. Magna Cantata (Tuesday 7th-Friday 10th July, 19:30) Over 200 school children from the area will fill the Cathedralâs nave with catchy songs and entertaining lyrics, charting the course of Magna Carta from King Johnâs time to the present day. Tickets: Â£2.50 children, Â£5 adults available from Easter from 01722 320333.

Southern Cathedrals Festival (Wednesday 15 – Saturday 18 July) Three days of captivating music exploring the themes of Magna Carta, performed by the choirs of Salisbury, Chichester and Winchester Cathedrals.Tickets: from Â£15 from 01722 320333 from 11 May onwards. Performances The Globe Theatre perform Shakespeareâs âKing Johnâ (27th – 30th May 19:00) A tale of social upheaval, war and family feuding. Part of the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival. Tickets from Â£15 from 0845 2419651 and online at salisburyfestival.co.uk Salisbury Playhouse Stage â65 Youth Theatre (20th-21st June, 19:00 and 20:00) Experience this new play by Olivier-nominated Hattie Naylor, exploring how the themes of Magna Carta are relevant to young people today and staged as a promenade event in the Cathedral.

Tickets Â£12 available from 01722 320333 or online at salisburyplayhouse.com The Magna Carta Plays (Thursday 22 October – Saturday 7 November) A series of short plays specially written by four leading playwrights who have taken their inspiration from the celebrated document. Presented at Salisbury Playhouse, this will be a theatrical event not to be missed. Tickets available from May 2015 from 01722 320333 or online at salisburyplayhouse.com Worship Magna Carta Eucharist (Sunday 14 June, 10.30) Join us in worship with a newly written setting by the Cathedralâs Director of Music, David Halls. Pilgrimage walk from Old Sarum to Salisbury Cathedral (Sunday 14 June, 14.00). See salisburycathedral.org.uk for details Informal Outdoor Worship (Sunday 14 June, 16.30) Join us on the Cathedral lawn – all are welcome.

Community Magna Carta Citizenship Ceremony, Salisbury Cathedral (Tuesday 9th June) Find out more about our Magna Carta Citizenship Ceremonies by clicking here. Liberteas Party, (Sunday 14th June, 15.00) A free tea-party in the Cathedral Close with live music by the Salisbury Concert Band Cathedral Open Day (Monday 15th June, 13.00 – 22.00) Join our free activities celebrating this anniversary. Magna Carta Celebration (Monday 15 June, 19.00) An evening of performance and spectacle in the Close in partnership with Wiltshire Council. At a Magna Carta Pageant in the evening, dignitaries will seal a new Magna Carta for Wiltshire in 21st Century. For details visit wiltshirecouncil.org.uk Participation Calligraphy Workshops Free, with a calligraphy exhibition. 11 April, 6 June, 20 June and 25 July. All sessions run between 11 – 12, and 14:00 – 15:30. Spotlight talks on our Library and Archive Free – all ages welcome.

13 April, 9 June 11.00â11.30 and 6 August, 11 September 14.30 â 15.00 Magna Carta Madness: Family Holiday Activities Free, drop-in sessions, adults should stay. Plus free Magna Carta Treasure Hunt in the Cathedral from 20 July – 31 August. 7,8,9th April; 27th May; 29th July; 5, 12, 19, 26th August All sessions run between 10 – 12, and 13:30 – 15:30 Discovery Workshops: ‘Quills, Sheep, and Artefacts.’ Free, have-a-go drop-in sessions for all ages. Various dates – visit salisburycathedral.org.uk for details. Lectures All lectures will take place in Salisbury Cathedral. Friday 20th February (19:30) Archbishop Langton in a Circle of New Ideas, Professor Lesley Smith. In partnership with Sarum College.

Tickets Â£7 from [email protected] , or tel: 01722 424800. Optional seminars priced at Â£10, visit sarum.ac.uk for details. Friday 6th March (19:00) Making the Magna Carta We Want: the Unintended Meanings of an Icon, Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum. Tickets Â£7. Thursday 12th March (19:00) to reserve a place. Amnesty International collection. Friday 27th March (19.30) Magna Carta: Charter for our Times or Antiquarian Icon? Revd. Robin Griffith-Jones, Master of the Temple. In partnership with Sarum College. Tickets Â£7 from [email protected] , or tel: 01722 424800. Optional seminars priced at Â£10, visit sarum.ac.uk for details. Friday 24th April (19.30) Magna Carta and the Common People, Professor Chris Dyer. In partnership with Sarum College.

Tickets Â£7 from [email protected] , or tel: 01722 424800. Optional seminars priced at Â£10, visit sarum.ac.uk for details. Friday 15th May (19.30) Magna Carta: The Salisbury Connection, Professor Nicholas Vincent. Tickets Â£7. Sunday 7th June (18.00) Magna Carta’s American Adventure, Professor A.E Dick Howard. Tickets Â£7. Thursday 18th June (19.30) Magna Carta and the Law, Lord (Igor) Judge. Tickets Â£7. Salisbury City ‘Liberty, Justice and Power in Salisbury’ Fascinating 90 minute walks in the city – immerse yourself in tales of conquest, conflict and the quest for freedom in Salisbury across the ages. Tickets Â£6 from Salisbury Information Centre.

Call 01722 342860 to book or visit salisburycityguides.co.uk 25th April – 23rd & 30th May – 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th June – 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th July – 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th August – 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th September. Saturdays at 14:00. The Barons Charter Trail Follow a trail of modern sculptures of barons painted by local artists and placed throughout the city. A partnership project with The Trussell Trust. Visit thebaronscharter.org.uk for more information. Arts and Crafts Salisbury Contemporary Craft and Heritage Festival Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th September. 80+ contemporary craft makers and designers showcase their crafts plus practical workshops, interactive demonstrations and talks by a range of heritage experts on the West Lawn.

salisburycraftfestival.org Magna Flora Flower Festival Tuesday 15th – Sunday 20th September See the spectacular work of over 500 flower arrangers with the smell and sight of many thousands of blooms in a mix of contemporary, traditional and interpretative displays inspired by Magna Carta. Daily demonstrations. Tickets: Â£11 Adults, Â£5.00 Children, Â£25 Family, available online and on the door. For discounts for groups of 20+ call 01722 555 120. Further Information: For further information about events in Salisbury & Salisbury Cathedral, please contact: For images or for further information please call 01722 555118 Salisbury Cathedral “Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor” Exhibition at Library of Congress to Open Nov. 6 - In The News “Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor” Exhibition at Library of Congress to Open Nov.

6 March 7, 2014 10:07 AM | More Magna Carta, the great charter of rights and liberties, stands at the heart of English and American law and has influenced the legal systems of many other democratic nations. One of the earliest statements of limited government and a point of departure for centuries of debate on individual rights, Magna Carta has become the world’s most enduring symbol of the rule of law. The Library of Congress will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the first issue of Magna Carta with a 10-week exhibition "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor," opening Thursday, Nov. 6, and running through Monday, Jan. 19, 2015. The exhibition—to be located in the South Gallery, second level of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C.—will be free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Lincoln King John 1215 Magna Carta, on loan from the Lincoln Cathedral in England, will be the centerpiece of the exhibition.

In addition, there will be rare materials from the Law Library of Congress and from various other divisions of the Library, which will tell the story of 800 years of Magna Carta’s influence on the history of political liberty. The materials will both illuminate the context of Magna Carta in medieval and early modern England and show how the charter came to occupy such an important place in British and American law. "Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor" also will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Lincoln Magna Carta’s first visit to the Library of Congress. After a six-month exhibit in the British Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the document traveled to Washington, D.C. On Nov. 28, 1939, the British Ambassador to the United States, in an official ceremony, handed Magna Carta over to Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish for safekeeping during World War II. The Library placed the document on exhibition, until the U.S. entry into the war, when the Library sent Magna Carta to Fort Knox, Ky. The document returned to England in 1947. Librarian of Congress James H.

Billington said, "We are honored to place on exhibition Magna Carta, one of the lasting treasures of human history. The principles that underlay Magna Carta are the foundation of our liberties, inspiring this country’s Founding Fathers in shaping the U.S. Constitution and the laws of this land. We especially welcome the return of the Lincoln King John 1215 Magna Carta, because the Library of Congress played an important role in its safekeeping during World War II." Law Librarian of Congress David Mao said, "Through this exhibition we will celebrate the core tradition of the rule of law. While aiming to detail the enduring impact of Magna Carta over 800 years, our exhibit will illuminate its influence on our legal traditions and political thought while examining the unfolding story of the rule of law throughout the world. We look forward to taking a leading role in the American commemoration of the 800th anniversary of this legal treasure." The Lincoln King John Magna Carta will travel first to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and then to the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute at Clark University in Williamstown, Mass. Its final stop in America will be the Library of Congress.

After its appearance here, Magna Carta will return to England and be placed briefly on display at the British Library, along with the other three surviving original 1215 issues of the document. Two are held by the British Library and one by Salisbury Cathedral. Of the four, the Lincoln King John Magna Carta is considered to be in the best condition. Magna Carta or "Great Charter" was sealed in 1215, in a grassy meadow at Runnymede, by the Thames, when barons coerced King John into granting a number of rights and liberties. The document is the world’s most enduring symbol of the rule of law, establishing the principle that no one is above the law, not even the king. The Library of Congress also will celebrate the 800th anniversary by curating and providing materials for a facsimile traveling exhibition on Magna Carta for the American Bar Association (ABA). The exhibition will open at a 2014 ABA Annual Meeting in Boston and travel across the United States. In June 2015, the ABA Magna Carta Facsimile Traveling Exhibit will journey to England.

For more information on ABA’s Magna Carta commemoration, visit . The Lincoln Cathedral, officially the Cathedral Church of St. Mary of Lincoln, is located in Lincoln, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. The cathedral and its bishops have had a leading role in the history of England. In 1215 the Bishop of Lincoln, Hugh of Wells, was present at Runnymede along with Lincolnshire’s Cardinal Archbishop Stephen Langton. When King John agreed to the barons’ demands, copies of Magna Carta, written in Latin, were made and distributed to sheriffs, cathedrals, and important religious houses throughout England. Lincoln Cathedral’s Magna Carta is one of only four from the original distribution still in existence. The cathedral itself, highly regarded by architectural scholars, is one of Europe’s finest Gothic buildings. Construction started in 1072 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. The Law Library of Congress was established in 1832 with the mission to make its resources available to members of Congress, the Supreme Court, other branches of the U.S.

government and the global legal community and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of law for future generations. With more than 5 million items in various formats, the Law Library of Congress contains the world’s largest collection of law books and other resources from all countries and provides online databases and guides to legal information worldwide through its website at . The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, holds more than 158 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its award-winning website at . Image: The Lincoln Cathedral Magna Carta, 1215. Courtesy of Lincoln Cathedral. At the center of the exhibition will be the Lincoln Cathedral copy of the Magna Carta. The Lincoln Cathedral Magna Carta is one of four existing exemplifications of Magna Carta dating from 1215. The Lincoln Magna Carta along with the other three 1215 copies were given “Memory of the World” status by UNESCO for their singular world historical significance. Its name derives from the document’s regular custodian, Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln, England.

Categories: Salisbury Cathedral | Gothic (article) | Khan Academy Salisbury Cathedral Email The Biggest and the Highest There are so many superlatives consorting with the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Salisbury: it has the tallest spire in Britain (404 feet); it houses the best preserved of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta (1215); it has the oldest working clock in Europe (1386); it has the largest cathedral cloisters and cathedral close in Britain; the choir (or quire) stalls are the largest and earliest complete set in Britain; the vault is the highest in Britain. Bigger, better, best—and built in a mere 38 years, roughly from 1220 to 1258, which is a pretty short construction schedule for a large stone building made without motorized equipment. Salisbury Cathedral, 1220-1320 (photo: Bellminsterboy ) One factor that enabled Salisbury Cathedral to become so extraordinary is that it was the first major cathedral to be built on an unobstructed site. The architect and clerics were able to conceive a design and lay it out exactly as they wanted.

Construction was carried out in one campaign, giving the complex a cohesive motif and singular identity. The cloisters were started as a purely decorative feature only five years after the cathedral building was completed, with shapes, patterns, and materials that copy those of the cathedral interior. Pointed arches and lancet windows in the North transept of Salisbury Cathedral, 1220-1320 (photo: Diliff , CC BY-SA 3.0) It was an ideal opportunity in the development of Early English Gothic architecture, and Salisbury Cathedral made full use of the new techniques of this emerging style. Pointed arches and lancet shapes are everywhere, from the prominent west windows to the painted arches of the east end. The narrow piers of the cathedral were made of cut stone rather than rubble-filled drums, as in earlier buildings, which changed the method of distributing the structure’s weight and allowed for more light in the interior. The piers are decorated with slender columns of dark gray Purbeck marble, which reappear in clusters and as stand-alone supports in the arches of the triforium, clerestory, and cloisters.

The triforium and cloisters repeat the same patterns of plate tracery – basically stone cut-out shapes – of quatrefoils, cinquefoils, even hexafoils and octofoils. Proportions are uniform throughout. One deviation from the typical Gothic style is the way the lower arcade level of the nave is cut off by a string course that runs between it and the triforium. In most churches of this period, the columns or piers stretch upwards in one form or another all the way to the ceiling or vault. Here at Salisbury the arcade is merely an arcade, and the effect is more like a layer cake with the upper tiers sitting on top of rather than extending from the lower level. Nave of Salisbury Cathedral, 1220-1320(photo: Diliff , CC BY-SA 3.0) The Tower and the Spire The original design called for a fairly ordinary square crossing tower of modest height. But in the early part of the 14th century, two stories were added to the tower, and then the pointed spire was added in 1330. The spire is the most readily identified feature of the cathedral and is visible for miles.

However, the addition of this landmark tower and spire added over 6,000 tons of weight to the supporting structure. Because the building had not been engineered to carry the extra weight, additional buttressing was required internally and externally. The transepts now sport masonry girders, or strainer arches, to support the weight. Not surprisingly, the spire has never been straight and now tilts to the southeast by about 27 inches. Restorations Over the centuries the cathedral has been subject to well-intentioned, but heavy-handed restorations by later architects such as James Wyatt and Sir George Gilbert Scott, who tried to conform the building to contemporary tastes. Therefore, the interior has lost some of its original decoration and furnishings, including stained glass and small chapels, and new things have been added. This is pretty typical, though, of a building that is several centuries old. Fortunately, the regularity and clean lines of the cathedral have not been tampered with. It is still refined, polished, and generally easy on the eye.

Sunlight Although it inspires the usual awe felt in such a grand and substantial building, and is as pretty as a wedding cake, it has had some criticism from art historians: Nikolaus Pevsner and Harry Batsford both disliked the west front, with its encrustation of statues and “variegated pettiness” (Batsford). John Ruskin, the Victorian art critic and writer, found the building “profound and gloomy.” Indeed, in gray weather, the monochromatic scheme of Chilmark stone and Purbeck marble is just gray upon gray. West front of Salisbury Cathedral, 1220-1320 (photo: Raggatt2000 ) The pictures in this essay, however, show the widely changing character of the neutral tones; sunlight transforms the building, and the visitor's experience of it. This very quality is what made the Gothic style so revolutionary – the ability to get sunlight into a large building with massive stone walls. Windows are everywhere, and when the light streams through the clerestory arches and the enormous west window, the interior turns from drear gray to transcendent gold.

Essay by Valerie Spanswick Magna Carta: Rallying cry for justice, or toffs’ tantrum? - Telegraph History Magna Carta: Rallying cry for justice, or toffs’ tantrum? To celebrate its up-coming 800th anniversary, a copy of Magna Carta will be displayed at St Albans Cathedral. Harry Mount reads the small print By Harry Mount 8:00AM BST 03 Aug 2013 You can forgive David Cameron for failing to define Magna Carta on the Late Show with David Letterman last year. The Latin translation of the words – “Great Charter” – is the easy bit. The trickier thing is to work out what the 1215 document really signified. Was it a rallying cry for justice, freedom and the rule of law, echoing down the ages, across the globe? Or was it just the squealing of the grandest toffs in the land, incensed at a king who was bleeding their coffers dry? The answer is, a bit of both.

As the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta approaches, you can decide for yourself, as the four original copies are exposed as never before. Two are in the British Library, the third is at Salisbury Cathedral. Today , the fourth – Lincoln Cathedral’s original – will go on show in St Albans Cathedral, where the barons first met King John’s representative, probably on August 4 1213 – 800 years ago tomorrow. It will then go to Bury St Edmunds, and on to the Law Library of Congress in Washington. Related Articles The cry goes up: it’s time to pardon the Bethlehem One 31 Jul 2013 Magna Carta was revered by the American Founding Fathers in the 18th century, who saw it as a defining document of resistance against an overbearing king. You will need medieval Latin to read Magna Carta in the original, in fading brown ink on parchment.

But even non-Latinists can make out the most heart-stirring lines, like “Data per manum nostram in prato quod vocatur Ronimed inter Windlesoram et Stanes, quinto decimo die Junii, anno regni nostri decimo septimo.” Those are the last words of Magna Carta, stamped with the seal of King John – “Given by our hand in the meadow called Runnymede, between Windsor and Staines, on the 15th day of June, in the 17th year of our reign.” The words were largely drafted, not by the king and the barons, but by chancery clerks toiling away far from the historic scene in Surrey that June day. And, if you look closely at those words, in English or Latin, you’ll see that the charter is dominated by contemporary disputes between the barons and the king, with not much left over for timeless cries for freedom and justice.

Some of the clauses – the original document was divided into 63 clauses in 1759 – are surprisingly prosaic: “All fish-weirs shall be removed from the Thames, the Medway, and throughout the whole of England, except on the sea coast.” Many other clauses concentrate on lifting the king’s burden of taxation on the barons. Some clauses are pretty outrageous by modern standards: “If anyone who has borrowed a sum of money from Jews dies before the debt has been repaid, his heir shall pay no interest on the debt for so long as he remains under age, irrespective of whom he holds his lands.” To work out what the point of Magna Carta was, you must look at the history immediately preceding it. That history is largely about John tapping the barons for the cash and soldiers needed to win back Normandy. “Magna Carta was the first programme of reform in English history,” says David Horspool, historian and author of The English Rebel – One Thousand Years of Trouble-making from the Normans to the Nineties.

“But it wasn’t the culmination of decades of struggle and debate, it was the by-product of a more venal agenda, controlled for the most part by men who put their own welfare some way ahead of abstract principle. What exhausted the barons’ patience wasn’t losing Normandy but trying to get it back. To do that, John needed the military support of his chief subjects, and he needed money.” On two occasions John had failed to raise expeditions to take back Normandy, because the barons refused to play ball. They had had enough of a king who demanded much more of them than his predecessors. John doubled the rate of scutage – shield money, paid instead of military service. On other occasions, John fined them arbitrarily to “obtain the king’s good will”. Matters came to a head in May 1214, when the king, fighting in France, demanded more scutage, and the barons refused to pay, especially the ones in the north. The rebel barons can claim to be the first named political party in English history, popularly named “the Northerners” – as opposed to “the Army of God”, which is what they preferred to call themselves.

At this point, something in John gave way. Rather than declaring war on the barons, he resorted to negotiation. At first, he considered regranting an old charter, sealed by his grandfather, Henry I, on his coronation in 1100. John promised he would give a definite answer on regranting it by the Sunday after Easter, 1215. When he missed the deadline, the negotiations continued, with Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury, as intermediary. The king dithered so much that the barons withdrew their fealty – or their loyalty – from him. Forty rebel barons were so angry that they occupied London in protest. Drawn into further negotiations, the two parties drew up a document, the Articles of the Barons. This was sealed by the king on June 15 – Magna Carta was born. With that kind of build-up, you can see why so much of Magna Carta is about taxes. The charter’s second clause limits the money paid to the king out of inheritances to “£100 for a whole barony…100s, at most, for a whole knight’s fee”.

Another clause strictly forbids the king’s arbitrary fines: “All fines made with us unjustly and against the law of the land and all amercements imposed unjustly and against the law of the land, shall be entirely remitted.” Still, in among the tax-cutting pleas, there are some unprecedented, selfless calls for legal and social reform. One much-repeated clause reads: “To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice.” Other clauses refer to “freemen” – a class considerably below the barons. The opening clause reads: “We have granted also, and given to all the Freemen of our Realm, for Us and our Heirs for ever, these Liberties underwritten, to have and to hold to them and their Heirs, of Us and our Heirs for ever.” In one clause – again, about the levying of fines – there is even a reference to villeins, peasants legally tied to the lord of the manor, who were no more than serfs. It is these few altruistic clauses that resonated down the centuries, that meant Magna Carta was repeatedly confirmed by monarchs for the next two centuries.

But Magna Carta may have been lost in the mists of time if John hadn’t died of dysentery in October 1216, supposedly after a blowout feast. John in fact rejected Magna Carta, principally because of its last clause, giving the barons a licence to rebel if the king reneged on the deal. It was his son, the nine-year-old Henry III, who went along with Magna Carta in a bid to shore up his support. It was a close-run thing, and a long time before Magna Carta was hailed as the miraculous document of today. In many ways, W C Sellar and R J Yeatman came closest to the truth in their comedy classic, 1066 and all That — “Magna Charter was therefore the chief cause of Democracy in England, and thus a Good Thing for everyone (except the Common People).” Seeing is believing The Lincoln copy of Magna Carta will be in St Albans Cathedral (01727 860780; stalbanscathedral.org ) August 3-29.

Tickets from enjoystalbans.com , £3 adults, £2 concessions, under-16s free with an adult. 'Magna Carta 1213-1215: The Journey Starts Here’, Museum of St Albans (01727 819340; stalbansmuseums.org.uk ) until September 15, Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sundays 2pm-5pm. Admission free. The Magna Carta Festival (01727 864511; enjoystalbans.com ), Verulamium Park, August 2-4. The British Library (0843 208 1144; bl.uk ) has a dedicated Magna Carta room. Open daily. Admission free. Salisbury Cathedral (01722 555120; salisburycathedral.org.uk ) has the best-preserved Magna Carta in its Chapter House. Open daily.

Admission free, with a voluntary donation: £6.50 adults, £5.50 concessions, £3 children 5-17, £15 families. How England Made the English by Harry Mount, Viking, is available from Telegraph Books for £9.99 + £1.10 p&p. To order, call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

Question: Which English cathedral, dedicated to St. Mary, has an original copy of Magna Carta?
Answer: Salisbury